Landlords renting out properties should always visit the home or apartment to check on essential maintenance, particularly with the roof.

This is an area where tenants will often be unaware of a problem until it is too late.

Nick Oldridge from Roofapedia.com, said that the condition of the mortar on a roof is one thing landlords should be keeping an eye on.

“It’s such a big issue that the NHBC who are responsible for the building of new homes have put a report out recently saying that they advise wherever possible that developers do not use mortar.”

Mr Oldridge explained that mortar is a material that succumbs to building movement and when it starts falling out rain, insects and animals can get into the roof space.

“Many moons ago people would just go up there with a ladder as it is quite a cheap thing to prepare before anyone had heard of health and safety. Today it can be a bit more costly to do,” the expert concluded.

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